There have been a lot of unfounded rumors and speculation about KitKat and the Nexus 5 (and even the good old Nexus 4) floating around the web in the last few days, so why don't we take a break from those and switch things up for a change? Here is the work-in-progress UI from the next major update to the Play Store app for Android, version 4.4 (just to be clear: the Play Store's version is 4.4 - I'm not talking about Android 4.4).

What's new?

The biggest change, as you can see, is the move to the "hamburger"-style slide-out navigation. The current version of the Play Store app, 4.3.11, which you can see in the 6th screenshot, has everything crammed into a single menu.

Play Store 4.4

Left, middle: Play Store 4.4; right: Play Store 4.3 with everything in a single menu

Rumor time

And now, it's time for a little rumor. While the build that I've seen doesn't have other UI changes, I've heard that Google will change all the things to be even more card-like. The UI transformations will be akin to the latest Gmail update - something I'm quite excited to see myself. Once again, it's just a rumor until we see some evidence, which I'm hoping to dig up at some point.

Release timeframe

Play Store 4.4 should at the very minimum be released with KitKat, as it's already being tested on Android 4.4 devices (4.4 on 4.4, get it?). Whether we'll see it pop up earlier or not is, unfortunately, unknown to me at this point.

As for compatibility, don't fret - v4.4 is backwards compatible all the way back to Froyo.

They're there specifically to siphon out those who vote just for the sake of voting. They, in fact, make the polls more accurate, you just disregard the placebo option.

Valynor

In fact, no, they don't. You ask the questions you want the answers to (with no overlap) and add the "catch all" question. Everything else makes the poll less accurate.

Justin W

Think of it as a "n/a" option in regular polls. Just as in government polls, no "group" (as in, no Presidential poll or similar) has 100% of the vote, and for those that don't vote, they are counted as "n/a", so they aren't attributed to it. Hence, it makes the poll more accurate by allowing those that actually prefer one or the other to fill in those opinions, and those that couldn't care less either way can vote for an option that doesn't affect the poll.

hot_spare

Don't care. Still nothing very impressive. Don't see what's so great change from 4.3. A few minor changes which are not "so-interesting". A lot of like WP8, where they have updates which basically does noting for user experience.

Diegojdiaz

On the contrary, this fits in with the design principle of so many of Android's apps and it helps the user get used to the idea. It is possible that they are still making more changes; as Artem states, there's still developing going on.

:( is it so hard to add? I have bought so many aplications over 3 years and I have spent around 100 €

Matthew Fry

What do you think they are? Magicians? It can't be done.

squiddy20

They'll have to get help from Apple, ruler of all things "magical", "mystical", and "revolutionary".

David Spivey

Please stop using Apple's trademarked and patented words in your sentences, even when using quotes to repeat them.

Tiago Pestana

what do you mean It can't be done.? what Magician's? please explain yourself lol

Matthew Fry

'It can't be done' is programmer speak for 'I don't feel like it'

samma

I like the hamburger menu style.
However, I am confused why google have both the three dots menu and the hamburger menu !

Diegojdiaz

I agree. I think it has to do with consistency between the web version and its Android app. I truly don't know. Again, it is probably not finished, at least that's what I can see and Artem states.

miri

One's for actions, the other's for navigation.

fonix232

They could actually get two separate buttons on the action bar, instead of an overflow menu. It is just making things harder. When there were 5-6 menu options, okay, we need it. But now, only two. And actually, it's only one, Help could be available from under Settings (as it is with most of the applications).

miri

It's in the design guidelines to always have settings, help, etc. in the overflow menu, even if there's room in the action bar as they aren't primary functions of an app.

Diegojdiaz

Awesome, I was waiting for this since they started using the new hamburger navigation drawer in their stock apps (except for those that aren't using it). Hopefully this makes the tablet UI look less ridiculous. At least one new feature must be added to this for it to be worthwhile and it's the opportunistic app updating... Sometimes it can waste a lot of battery when there's barely any signal and it automatically updates because it can, not to mention how laggy any device becomes when installing any of the Play Store's apps.

deltatux

They should put the "Games, Books, Movies, TV, Music and etc." in the hamburger menu and then the 3 dot menu for Settings and all that.

That or, remove the 3 dot menu and put everything in the hamburger menu. Don't really know why Google's adamant on putting the Games, Books, Movies and etc. as a banner...

Neal Horowitz

Same reason it's not the Android Market any more (even if I still call it that in my head). Play Store may be a godawful name, but ffs, they want you to know they sell books, music, and video, and they're going to slap you in the face with it in hopes you'll buy from them instead of Apple or Amazon. Want apps? Please wade through this pile of other, unrelated things that you didn't want to see first.

squiddy20

"Wade through"? All you have to do from the main screen is hit the Apps tab and boom, you've got only apps. It's 1 (one) tap. Not scroll down, hit a button, swipe left, double tap here, swipe right, and pinch.

deltatux

They did it properly with the YouTube app, where the options are all in the hamburger menu. It's more organized if it's done this way instead of the banner. Plus, putting it in the menu makes it universally accessible within the app, where it isn't easy to jump between app, books, movies & TV and etc. the way it's set up right now.

Tony

I say put Games, Books, etc in the hamburger menu AND also have the banner page that way they can slap you in the face with the banner and still give you 1 swipe access to any part of the store.

Tim242

They change up the play store design every few months. They are confused on how it should look, and probably confuse a lot of average consumers.

Joe Micelli

Can they make it not super hitch when scrolling? Something with loading ads.

Diegojdiaz

I fail to comprehend this argument about polls; answer the question, if not, comment on what you think. Lol. It's not complicated.

Taylor LaBrier

Some people not only want to voice their opinion, but also have said opinion added to a fancy graph. haha

Daniel

You could send the apk's Play Store 4.4 for my email?

Taylor LaBrier

At this point in time, 157 people (11% of the votes) read the ENTIRE article, and promptly decided they didn't care. lol

Daeshaun Griffiths

why not completely remove the 3 three dot menu button and stuff it into the slide out? I can see app pages being chopped up into cards making things more organized and a text clean up like the recent maps update.

Neal Horowitz

There needs to be an option for "I don't care what it looks like, but they need to fix the goddamned overdraw problems so the app stops performing like a steaming pile of crap on older devices" option.

Gnex

Believe me, it's not just older devices. I've found that a lot of Googles' apps are rather slow (music, chrome, play store).

Roh_Mish

Chrome get slow on nexus 4 in disqus comments on all websites. I still have to try it on stock browser though.

mark

uhm... you hid the version number... but there's 4.4.16 on tags...
Fail? :P

Crispin Swickard

It was hid probably more due to the fact the build will undoubtedly change from now, and when the update rolls out. Not that there was a huge need for it, but more since there was no point to having the build there since its irrelevant.

Also could be to protect those who would have had access to that build that leaked it.

Crispin Swickard

Now if email would get an overhaul... I was fully expecting it to get a similar overhaul to gmail on 4.3, and it never happened. I would like some proper pinch to zoom there as well.

Simon Belmont

I agree with you. I think it will get an overhaul in KitKat.

What I want in the email client is MULTI-SELECT of emails all at once (aka, Select All). That, and EMPTY TRASH.

Justin W

I hate the lack of the empty trash button in the app. I clearly do not want them, let me delete them.

Justin W

There is pinch to zoom, but I wish they had enabled it by default. I guess I don't understand what you mean as "proper" pinch to zoom though - can you elaborate?

Crispin Swickard

You can zoom in, but you can't always zoom out to show more on some html emails. Its rather frustrating.

Also, every time someone mentions hamburger style menu, it makes me want a hamburger. Damn you, power of suggestion.

Bronislav Shtrom

Exactly how it should be? So you're fine with Google going the crApple route and making everything onscreen taps? This isn't even about onscreen software buttons. This is about onscreen navigation being like crApple. Why is it exactly how it should be?

FrillArtist

They need to update the email app. It is absolutely terrible and ancient looking.

ratnok

What they need to do is get rid of the "see more" buttons and let you swipe those sections left to right in a ribbon format.

miri

Android doesn't have an official pattern for carousels and having a hamburger menu, tabs and carousels would be a little messy, attaching too many things to the horizontal gesture.

angel_spain

What they need to work on is the web version of the Play Store. The mobile app looks much better and polished and it feels more functional.

A Black UI is the best UI

Still too white make it more dark.

Adam Watts

This style is already implemented in the Music app. Glad to see it coming to other parts of Android. It works well.

How about a "MyApps" button at the top right of the screen (near the search button), like the one that's been available in the tablet version for ages! Just a though...

GazaIan

I feel like another design is on its way... It looks sexy, but navigating this Store is a tiny bit tedious as it is. This looks like it's out to confuse me some more.

monkeycarrier

Hamburger style? You mean hot dog, right? Because it'd have to be a pull-down/pull-up menu, our landscape in order to be hotdog.

jcopernicus

Did you guys already point out that they're calling you out a few months ago?

crackinthewall

Yes, but I would have preferred if they removed the Menu button in a future update. With that slide out tray, they can surely put Settings and Help in there.

akshay7394

Settings and Help are never supposed to be in the drawer. The guidelines specify exactly that

Ashish

The playstore version is 4.4.
The smaller version has been faded.

guest

Am I the only one that thinks hamburger slide outs are a pain in the rear?

Fifth313ment

I'm happy Google is finally starting to get some conformity in Android! About time! Now if we could just get them to work on a consistent back button, lol. :P

5th

Tony

More importantly, on tablets in the My Apps page can you actually see update sections "What's New" on the same screen or do you just get the same stupid permissions screen?

AhmedAlalfy

The way i see it .. Google planing to strike big this time ... new launcher .. new UI and most of Google apps are getting major treat and features .. not to mention the monster the N5 and most of us they know how to tease the hell of us with all the leaks they let out day by day .. so Kitkat when it comes is going to be epic

Jensen

Those first two images look very clunky, oversized, and hard to focus on the content. I will give it the benefit of the doubt but I am not impressed.

I also really wish the Movie and TV App would get improved navigation as it is extremely difficult to navigate currently.

Marcell Lévai

Slide out navigation, yay. Can't select category from the slide out menu, meh. Still a menu button for settings, meh. Not a big improvement.

roberto.elena

What they really need to do is redo the Google Play website. They took away so much functionality with the last redesign... So sad, all new looks but no substance...

hotweiss

I wish the play store would have a tab for past purchased apps!!!!

Dbrevolution

I have to admit the play store needs work. I've had trouble finding newly released popular games that I didn't even know existed. Like for example where's my water 2.

jeisson serrano

se ve muy bien

turdbogls

thank god....i hate going to the menu overflow to get to my recent apps. much better IMO

SirCharles

WTF, it never gets past the Loading... whether I voted or just want to view results, reloaded tab and reloaded tab again, ???